2011-2012 NBA Season Thread

[Balta1701]

Thats about right. Maybe the Bulls will make next season a sort of transition year?

Next year is a terrible "Transition" year. It's the last year they have a number of guys (Korver, Watson, Brewer) under team control and Gibson would be an RFA after the year. Clearing those guys out might be useful...but the Bulls will not have the cap space to bring someone back if they were removed, so they'd have to be treated as expiring contracts, and that would leave the Bulls back to having a depleted, weak bench.

 

That said, I'm not sure they have much choice.

[knightni]

So we're calling Blake Griffin a superstar now? Those Kia ads have paid off for him, eh?

 

 

His stats say yes. Watching him play though, not really.

 

I was just trying to make a point that Vinny still sucks at everything he does.

 

 

His stats show regression despite playing with the best distributor in the NBA. His game says he really can't score with anyone between him and the basket, and his shooting is horrendous.

 

Blake Griffin is not even close to an NBA superstar.

 

He reminds me of a young A'mare Stoudemire.

[southsider2k5]

Rose's surgeon puts recovery time at 8-12 months, thus somewhere between January and basically missing the whole 2012-2013 season.

 

That is what they have been saying all along.

[knightni]

Rose's surgeon puts recovery time at 8-12 months, thus somewhere between January and basically missing the whole 2012-2013 season.

 

 

Thats about right. Maybe the Bulls will make next season a sort of transition year?

The Spurs had David Robinson get really injured and miss an entire season. They got a lottery pick that ended up being Tim Duncan.

 

It worked out pretty well for them.

[Balta1701]

The Spurs had David Robinson get really injured and miss an entire season. They got a lottery pick that ended up being Tim Duncan.

 

It worked out pretty well for them.

If the Bulls are going to just wind up and shoot for the Lottery, then they may as well try to move the other 3 guys for someone's contract or maybe try to pick up another draft pick. Especially if you count on Deng missing 2 months for post olympics wrist surgery.

[southsider2k5]

I wonder if the Bulls would be better in the long run if they punted on 2013? Let Deng play the olympics then go for surgery, amnesty Boozer, trade Jo to the highest bidder, and let the option guys go. Then when you come back for 2013 you get a healthy Rose and Deng, plus a high draft pick, and the kid from Europe potentially as well.

[Balta1701]

I wonder if the Bulls would be better in the long run if they punted on 2013? Let Deng play the olympics then go for surgery, amnesty Boozer, trade Jo to the highest bidder, and let the option guys go. Then when you come back for 2013 you get a healthy Rose and Deng, plus a high draft pick, and the kid from Europe potentially as well.

There really isn't anything gained by amnesthitizing Boozer. The rest, it's at least intriguing.

[RockRaines]

I wonder if the Bulls would be better in the long run if they punted on 2013? Let Deng play the olympics then go for surgery, amnesty Boozer, trade Jo to the highest bidder, and let the option guys go. Then when you come back for 2013 you get a healthy Rose and Deng, plus a high draft pick, and the kid from Europe potentially as well.

Thats my thought as well. Transition some contracts, pack the entire year in and maybe add another good draft pick to your core.

[ZoomSlowik]

There isn't a Tim Duncan in the next draft, and it doesn't look very deep either. Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Mohammed are certainly interesting. After that, you have a couple of guys that may be better in college than the pros (Zeller and McAdoo) and a bunch of other freshmen that are probably more potential than production (mainly looking at Isaiah Austin, Alex Poythress and Steven Adams with that one).

[RockRaines]

There isn't a Tim Duncan in the next draft, and it doesn't look very deep either. Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Mohammed are certainly interesting. After that, you have a couple of guys that may be better in college than the pros (Zeller and McAdoo) and a bunch of other freshmen that are probably more potential than production (mainly looking at Isaiah Austin, Alex Poythress and Steven Adams with that one).

Maybe a freshman 2 comes out of nowhere like Gary Harris?

[southsider2k5]

There isn't a Tim Duncan in the next draft, and it doesn't look very deep either. Nerlens Noel and Shabazz Mohammed are certainly interesting. After that, you have a couple of guys that may be better in college than the pros (Zeller and McAdoo) and a bunch of other freshmen that are probably more potential than production (mainly looking at Isaiah Austin, Alex Poythress and Steven Adams with that one).

 

The Bulls won't need Tim Duncan though. If you can find a legit second scorer to go with the core, you have a better playoff team in the long run.

[Soxbadger]

Sam Dekker!

 

Its hard to speculate on the draft of next year at 18/19 these kids are still growing and learning more skills.

 

The Bulls just need to do a better job of drafting players for their system. If youre going to spend a 1st on Jimmy Butler, he needs to actually play and be worked into the rotation so when the playoffs come you know what you have. Looking back it still is troubling why the Bulls didnt draft a larger combo guard who could have played pg/sg.

[Balta1701]

The Bulls won't need Tim Duncan though. If you can find a legit second scorer to go with the core, you have a better playoff team in the long run.

Aside from Rose and Deng, didn't your scenario move most of the "Core" players away? You amnestitized Boozer and suggested trading Noah. Asik might not even be back this season, Gibson would be a RFA after next year, and the remaining bench mob save Butler would be gone.

[southsider2k5]

Aside from Rose and Deng, didn't your scenario move most of the "Core" players away? You amnestitized Boozer and suggested trading Noah. Asik might not even be back this season, Gibson would be a RFA after next year, and the remaining bench mob save Butler would be gone.

 

Asik, Gibson and Butler would stay. Asik is an RFA this year and isn't going anywhere. Same for Taj next year.

[Balta1701]

Asik, Gibson and Butler would stay. Asik is an RFA this year and isn't going anywhere. Same for Taj next year.

My worry there is that the Bulls are already extremely close to the luxury tax threshold...keeping Asik might well put them over. Rose's extension doesn't show up on here yet, but the Bulls would be somewhere near $68-69 million with that. If the luxury tax limit is $71 million, then they could be choosing between the Boozer amnesty (leaving them weak in the 2014 front court) or paying the Tax in a lost season in order to keep Asik. And with the multi-year tax becoming so much stronger now, it's hard to see Bulls management going for that.

[Soxbadger]

I really cant see Asik coming back long term if they plan on keeping Taj. Now would be the perfect time to try and get anything for him.

 

I have been a big fan of Asik, but the reality is that unless the Bulls plan on being the NBA version of the Yankees, some of these guys have to go. In terms of front court the Bulls should keep Taj/Noah (unless you can get a better deal for Noah than Asik all things being considered).

 

Their best option is to draft well and pick guys that make sense (ie Shelvin Mack, or player who can score) as opposed to Jimmy Bulter (who I like, but the Bulls already had Brewer who is quite similar.)

Edited May 15, 2012 by Soxbadger

[southsider2k5]

My worry there is that the Bulls are already extremely close to the luxury tax threshold...keeping Asik might well put them over. Rose's extension doesn't show up on here yet, but the Bulls would be somewhere near $68-69 million with that. If the luxury tax limit is $71 million, then they could be choosing between the Boozer amnesty (leaving them weak in the 2014 front court) or paying the Tax in a lost season in order to keep Asik. And with the multi-year tax becoming so much stronger now, it's hard to see Bulls management going for that.

 

You replace Boozer with the kid from Europe in 2014, or with the high draft pick.

[Balta1701]

I really cant see Asik coming back long term if they plan on keeping Taj. Now would be the perfect time to try and get anything for him.

 

I have been a big fan of Asik, but the reality is that unless the Bulls plan on being the NBA version of the Yankees, some of these guys have to go. In terms of front court the Bulls should keep Taj/Noah (unless you can get a better deal for Noah than Asik all things being considered).

 

Their best option is to draft well and pick guys that make sense (ie Shelvin Mack, or player who can score) as opposed to Jimmy Bulter (who I like, but the Bulls already had Brewer who is quite similar.)

The Bulls really could go over the tax if they wanted, but that's management's choice.

 

Brewer will very likely be gone after next season, maybe earlier if they are trying to move him as a tax casualty.

[southsider2k5]

The Bulls really could go over the tax if they wanted, but that's management's choice.

 

Brewer will very likely be gone after next season, maybe earlier if they are trying to move him as a tax casualty.

 

It makes no sense to go over the cap next year. 2012-2013 is a lost season.

[Balta1701]

It makes no sense to go over the tax next year. 2012-2013 is a lost season.

First, actual important fix. Bulls are vastly over the cap and have no real chance of getting under it without removing 2 contracts.

 

Second...staying under the tax level could really hurt the roster. The easiest way to stay under that level is to allow Asik to go or to give up Brewer/Korver/Hamilton for nothing. Those could certainly happen...but then you need someone to take that player on for nothing.

[Soxbadger]

It makes sense if you are looking towards 2013-2014, because there really is no way for the Bulls to get seriously under cap by then without trading everyone but Rose. So youd be paying next year, so that you can keep the entire team for a few years.

[Balta1701]

It makes sense if you are looking towards 2013-2014, because there really is no way for the Bulls to get seriously under cap by then without trading everyone but Rose. So youd be paying next year, so that you can keep the entire team for a few years.

But the real problem with that concept is that the tax becomes a much harsher penalty if you cross it in multiple years, and if the Bulls try to keep both Gibson and Asik, while also maintaining some semblance of a backcourt bench and holding Boozer, they will be across the tax every year.

 

No one would care about them being over the Tax if they'd made a finals run this year. Well maybe they'd care, but they'd probalby have pushed it to keep the band together. This injury screws everything up.

[southsider2k5]

That is why you cut Boozer. With Deng and Rose out for significant parts of next year, and then not at 100% for more, there is no reason for him to be here.

[ZoomSlowik]

You replace Boozer with the kid from Europe in 2014, or with the high draft pick.

 

It's asking an awful lot for a rookie/second year big man to be a starter and #2/#3 scorer. Usually the ones that are that good right away go in the top-5, and in a better draft than the one we're looking at. Even without Rose, some of these teams are REALLY bad so they might not get that high in the draft without some luck.

Edited May 15, 2012 by ZoomSlowik

[ZoomSlowik]

Maybe a freshman 2 comes out of nowhere like Gary Harris?

 

It's highly possible, it's EXTREMELY early. That said, this seems to be considered to be a weak class by most, especially in the backcourt.